This year’s festivities kick off a day early, on Cowslip Eve (Sat 30 April 2011) with a special event in Lambley Church. Check back here for more details, as they become available.

The majority of activities take place on the first Sunday in May - Cowslip Sunday in Lambley since ancient times – which this year falls on 1st May 2011.

Lambey Jack leads the procession through the village

There will once again be a procession through the village, led by Lambley Jack and parading the Cowslip banners. This year the route is extended to include more of the village. The procession starts at the village hall at about 2pm, passing along Spring Lane and Cromwell Crescent and then Main Street, Church Street, and Orchard Rise before returning to the village hall in time for…

Lambley Jack and the Giant of Ploughman Wood is the new play for this year’s Cowslip Sunday. Written and directed by David Longford, this picks up on the success of last year’s inaugural Lambley Jack production with a new adventure involving fairies, vikings, cowslips, and accountants. Once again the production will be free to watch in the open-air ambience of Farmer Dickie’s stage, on the playing field behind the village hall.

New for Cowslip Sunday 2011 is the Cowslip Arts and Crafts Fair, in the village hall through the afternoon. This provides a chance to see and purchase the work of top-quality local artists and craftspeople. Among those already confirmed is a chainsaw artist, and a limited number of further spaces are still available. Anybody interested in taking part should contact David Longford: davidlongford@catfoot.co.uk

Cowslip Sunday rounds out with the now-legendary Cowslip Ceilidh in the village hall. Once again we have been lucky enough to secure the talents of Sheepish Grin to provide music and dance calling as we strive to recreate the revelry of the Cowslip Sundays of yore.

Much more information will be flowing as we build up to the most important annual festivities in the lovely Nottinghamshire village of Lambley, so please check back regularly. In the meantime please note the first public meeting on Monday 21 March in the village hall at 6.30pm, to which all are invited. This is your chance to put yourself forward to take part in the play, or to help with organising the event in other ways, and you will be very welcome indeed.